Urinary tract problems are common problems with cats, and the formation of tiny, rock-like deposits in their bladder can be a source of pain and discomfort. When this occurs, it means a trip to the vet, which costs money and time. However, just like in humans, you can prevent this pain and expense through dietary choices.
Feeding your cat the proper meals, designed to maintain appropriate mineral levels, will prevent the formation of these deposits. It will keep your cat away from a distressing trip to the vet and you from an extra expense.
What Causes Urinary Problems in Cats?
Before fixing a problem, it is vital to understand it, and when it comes to cats and urinary problems, there are a few culprits. They range from small causes like excessive water drinking to complex issues like spinal cord problems. Here is a list of the leading causes of urinary problems in cats:
- Bladder inflammation or infection
- Sudden changes in daily routine
- Environmental stress
- Insufficient or excessive water intake
- Spinal cord problems
- Sudden injury to the urinary tract
- Accumulation of stones or debris in the urethra through mineral imbalance
As you can see, there are a few possible causes of urinary problems in cats. While some of them, such as spinal cord issues, are significant, most cats develop urinary complications from the imbalance of minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. This imbalance leads to crystals, stones, or debris formation in the urinary tract.
How to Tell in Your Cat Has a Urinary Problem?
Since cats do not speak human language, it is left for you to look out for signs that your cat has a urinary problem. While you might still need to visit a vet for diagnosis, felines exhibiting one or two signs below might down to a urinary problem.
● Bloody or cloudy urine
● Extended squatting in litter box
● Consistent licking of the urinary opening
● There is a strong ammonia odor from their urine
● Difficulty in urinating or inability to pass a large amount of urine at a time
● Vomiting
● Heightened water consumption
● Fatigue
● Hard, distended abdomen
● Increased frequency of urination
● Recognizable pain during urination
When your cat starts showing any of the following symptoms, a visit to the vet is almost inevitable. Depending on how far along the disease is, it can also prove fatal. As a result, you should place a strong premium on prevention, and an excellent place to start is your cat’s diet.
Top 3 Foods that Help Urinary Problems in Cats Because of how common urinary problems are among cats and what research says about the impact of dietary options, there are a ton of cat food marketed to address the issue. Thus, it can be challenging to pick out the right one for your cat. Here, we have picked out the top three foods to help prevent urinary problems in your cat.
1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Cat Food
If you prefer the comfort of feeding your cat food from a leading, trusted brand, Purina is an excellent option to consider. Based on years of experience and medical research, it produced this urinary tract cat food, rich in moisture content for efficient hydration and improved digestibility.
Another important quality is its magnesium level, which is one of the lowest on the market. As you know, high mineral presence, such as magnesium, leads to urinary tract problems in cats. The Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Cat Food also lowers the pH levels of your cat, just right enough to dissolve any stone or crystal in your cat’s urethra.
Beyond its medical features, it is still a quality meal with protein ingredients like beef and chicken and vitamins E and B to give your cat healthy hair and metabolism.
Key Features
● Low Magnesium Content
● High Protein content (Beef and Chicken)
● High moisture content
● Vitamins E and B
2. Wysong Uretic Feline Formula Dry Cat Food
Because of its advantage at boosting hydration and digestibility, wet food is the widely preferred type of cat food for urinary problem prevention. However, that doesn’t mean dry cat food cannot serve a similar purpose, and Wysong’s Uretic Feline Formula Dry Cat Food makes a strong case.
Wysong has removed excess minerals and added methionine, an amino acid useful for boosting skin, hair, eye, and a heart condition. Additionally, it contains wholesome fruit and vegetables for micronutrients, and it is free from fillers and artificial additives. It is also tasty, so your cat should have no problem falling in love with it.
Key Features
● Free of excess minerals
● Fit for all cat breeds
● Contains fruit and vegetables for vitamins
● Contains methionine
3. Royal Canin Urinary Tract Cat Food Another cat food worth trying is the Royal Canin Urinary Tract Cat Food, made by the brand renowned for making special pet diets. Their urinary tract cat food maintains the qualities that have made them popular with high moisture and protein content.
It contains chicken and pork, as well as a selection of fish oils for healthy Omega fatty acids, boosting the health of your cat’s coat and skin. Furthermore, it is rich in iron, which goes a long way in increasing and maintain your cat’s energy levels.
Key Features
● Rich in protein content
● Wet cat food for easy digestion and improved hydration
● High iron content for improved energy levels
● Fish oils for healthy skin and hair
4 Ingredients to Look Out For When Buying Cat Food for Urinary Tract Health
Not sold by the listed products? No problem. While you dive into the market for other cat foods, you should consider the following ingredients before making your purchase.
● Low Magnesium Content
As the primary cause of stones and crystals in urinary tracts, you want to look out for the magnesium levels in your cat’s food. Grain diets contain the mineral at high levels. So, endeavor to stick to a grain-free diet. Remember, the lower the magnesium content, the better.
● Named Protein Source
Regardless of the purpose of the diet, cats still need food rich in protein. You want to be certain that you are not trading your cat’s nutritional needs to prevent urinary tract problems. Look out for cat foods with at least 25 percent protein content. They should also be specified.
Chicken, lamb, turkey, salmon, chicken liver, heart, and eating tuna? Good. Meat, meat by-products, and meat derivatives? Not advisable. The listed protein sources are rich in taurine, which your cat needs to stay healthy.
● High Moisture Content
An essential way to prevent urinary problems in cats is to keep them properly hydrated. Food with high moisture content can be beneficial in this regard. That way, even when they are not drinking water from a bowl, they still meet the required levels of hydration.
● Fat
Like protein, your cat needs at least 20 to 24 percent fat in their food, even for urinary diets. Do not make the mistake of going for low fat foods to prevent obesity. Failure to provide enough fat in their diet will cause your cat to overeat to meet its nutritional requirements.